The Mediterranean Diet recently flew to New York City for the first international mission of Italy which, through the Municipality of Pollica is leading the coordination of the UNESCO Mediterranean Diet Emblematic Communities in 2022.
The trip included an event entitled “𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐒𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐬 – 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬 – 𝐌𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐃𝐢𝐞𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞” during which the Italian delegation, along with Stephen Ritz, the well-known, innovative teacher who founded Green Bronx Machine, and the Future Food Institute, planted a school garden with seeds of the Mediterranean. The event ended with Stefano Pisani, Mayor of Pollica, gifting the seeds of the Mediterranean Diet to Kate MacKenzie, Director of the NYC Mayor’s Office of Food Policy.
Planting the garden was a symbolic event to commemorate the launch of a partnership between G. Patroni School in Pollica and the Community School #55 in Bronx, NY. This collaboration will include cultural exchanges, missions, and joint workshops involving the children of the two schools.
“The two scientists who first studied the effects of our lifestyle (Ancel and Margaret Keys) lived many years in our dear Pollica, and this relationship gave rise to an exceptional discovery that now is the Intangible Heritage of Humanity: The Mediterranean Diet.
Today we symbolically reconnect Italy to the United States through the Mediterranean Diet, starting from young people and schools thanks to the twinning between the Institute of Pollica and the Community School 55,” remarked Stefano Pisani, Mayor of Pollica, UNESCO Mediterranean Diet Emblematic Community
Part of this initiative will also focus on the ecological transition of Italian schools further supported by the Mediterranean Diet Study Center ‘Angelo Vassallo’ and CampuStore.
“The Mediterranean Diet represents a sustainable lifestyle that truly safeguards individual, community, and planetary health. We are thrilled to further strengthen Future Food’s relationship with Green Bronx Machine and the people of New York City through this shared exploration of Mediterranean values, climate literacy, and community development,” commented Sara Roversi, President of the Future Food Institute.
Regardless of size, distance, and history, these places are rooted in the healing power of food. The two cities, Pollica and NYC, while vastly different culturally, are equally committed to growing healthy and sustainable communities. We hope these seeds will support the sustainable future of both.
